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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24312301">A Warrior's Heart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosy_persephone/pseuds/rosy_persephone'>rosy_persephone</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Scarfoot's Destiny [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Warriors - Erin Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Disabled Character, Gen, I'm just doing this to better my own writing, Original Characters - Freeform, RiverClan (Warriors), ShadowClan (Warriors), ThunderClan (Warriors), Warrior Cats, WindClan (Warriors), original stories - Freeform, plus warrior cats are pretty cool, there's a prophecy don't worry, this is book one don't worry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:48:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24312301</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosy_persephone/pseuds/rosy_persephone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"This story is about a cat and her brother, who was destined to save their Clan."</p><p>Scarpaw is a young apprentice in Thunderclan with an unfortunate birth defect. On top of the normal duties of an apprentice, she must prove herself to the Clan. But when a prophecy about her brother comes to light, the apprentice must discover what the prophecy means and her part to play.</p><p>Light will shape the Clan's destiny.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Scarfoot's Destiny [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755118</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Allegiances</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>THUNDERCLAN</p>
<p>Leader: Palestar - a pale-ginger tom with a scarred muzzle</p>
<p>Deputy: Fernleap - a tortoiseshell she-cat with a long tail</p>
<p>Medicine Cat: Dewnose - a grey tom with an exceptional sense of smell</p>
<p>Warriors:</p>
<p>Speckleflower - a grey she-cat with white paws</p>
<p>Apprentice, Scarpaw</p>
<p>Burrpelt - a large, brown tom with unusually thick fur</p>
<p>Apprentice, Bristlepaw</p>
<p>Tawnystripe - a tawny furred she-cat with golden eyes</p>
<p>Apprentice, Sunnypaw</p>
<p>Gentlefoot - a ginger tom with long claws</p>
<p>Dapplemoon - a black she-cat with an exceptional sense of hearing</p>
<p>Cloudstone - a white tom with a short tail</p>
<p>Thrushfur - a small dusky brown she-cat</p>
<p>Barkclaw - a dark brown tabby tom</p>
<p>Apprentices:</p>
<p>Scarpaw - a brown she-cat with dark markings and a twisted paw</p>
<p>Sunnypaw - an orange tom with thick fur</p>
<p>Bristlepaw - a black tom with very blue eyes</p>
<p>Queens:</p>
<p>Ravenpatch - a black she-cat with a white catch on er chest</p>
<p>Goldenfoot - a tortoiseshell she-cat</p>
<p>Silvertail - a grey she-cat</p>
<p>Elders:</p>
<p>Greynose - a grey tom</p>
<p>Bumbleface - a dark brown she-cat</p>
<p>Shreweye - a small black tom</p>
<p> </p>
<p>SHADOWCLAN</p>
<p>Leader: Pinestar - a brown she-cat with dark stripes</p>
<p>Deputy: Mousepelt - a grey tabby tom</p>
<p>Medicine Cat: Peatspine - a dark tabby tom</p>
<p> </p>
<p>WINDCLAN</p>
<p>Leader: Swiftstar - a gentle brown she-cat</p>
<p>Deputy: Blueear - a blue-grey tom</p>
<p>Medicine Cat: Smalltail - pale ginger she-cat with short tail</p>
<p>Warriors:</p>
<p>Rabbittail - a brown tabby tom</p>
<p>Sunpelt - a golden tabby tom</p>
<p> </p>
<p>RIVERCLAN</p>
<p>Leader: Ripplestar - a black tom with subtle grey markings</p>
<p>Deputy: Reedfoot - a ginger tabby tom</p>
<p>Medicine Cat: Loudpatch - a dark tortoiseshell tom</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Many moons ago, before the Twolegplace was built and the kittypets began to roam the outskirts of the forest, there were the warriors. They were fierce of cats sworn to protect their Clan at all costs, even if it meant their lives. Bound by the warrior code, these wildcats held themselves with dignity, honor, and above all else loyalty to their Clan and the cats in it. From the smallest kit to the wisest elder, each and every cat was called upon to do their duty and put the Clan before their own needs.</p><p>For that is the most precious of all things, little ones. To put others before oneself is the noblest thing that a cat can strive for. But this path is not easy and it can be a hard one to follow. And so sometimes, for the good of the Clan, chosen cats had to create their path on their own.</p><p>This story is about one of those cats and her brother who was destined to save their Clan.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi, everyone! My name is Elise! I hope you enjoyed this little prologue. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments and save the story for updates later on! I can't wait to share Scarpaw's story with you.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A breeze blew through the forest, rustling the leave and making the grass shiver at its touch. Moonlight sliced through the trees and dappled the ground below. It was only disturbed by the occasional shadow of a mouse running to its den and a small shape slowly making its way through the silver slices of light. The she-cat's brown fur kept her hidden enough in the undergrowth especially because it was night. She kept low to the ground, occasionally pausing to lift herself and taste the air for scents.</p><p>Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to her. Everything was it had always been, the smell of fresh dew on the green plants that surrounded her, the faint smell of a fox that had passed through several days prior, the sour smell of adders from Snakerocks, just a few fox-lengths away from where she was currently. There was also the slight tang of Leaf-fall in the air which she noted as the breeze blew through again, ruffling her fur and making her duck down.</p><p>The she-cat continued onward, all senses tuned in to the world around her. Silently, she relished in the feel of the ground against her paw pads, firm and reassuring. Occasionally, she would reach out and brush one of her paws against a fern or a patch of especially soft-looking grass. She purred to herself as she moved forward, nearly to Tallpines now.</p><p>Suddenly there was a different smell on the air. The she-cat froze and stilled in a crouched position, suddenly aware that the forest didn't seem as welcoming as it had just a moment ago. She narrowed her eyes and pricked her ears forward, trying to sense where the strange, unfamiliar scent had come from. Something that sounded like thunder began to fill the air and she shivered. This was not a natural storm. Thoughts of the Clan and the danger it might be in raced through her head and she began to move forward once again towards the sound.</p><p>She could feel her heart race as the thunder grew louder and louder. Just beyond the next few trees, she could see light as bright as the sun. Roaring had filled the air now and she felt herself trembling, regretting that she had come this far. She hid in a nearby bush and watched as the lights went back and forth, almost rhythmically. The ground was trembling slightly, rumbling along with the sounds coming from the trees. It seemed to grow more and more ferocious and she began to slink back, away from the lights and towards the camp where she hoped she would be safe.</p><p>A second too late, she realized that the thunder sounds were suddenly too close and the lights were pointing in her direction, roaring forward at a speed faster than a rabbit's. The she-cat yowled and tried to scramble away, claws digging into dirt and mud as she tried to find traction. But it was too late, the lights were on her and now she could see shining, silver bodes and huge, black paws reaching for her.</p><p>And then-</p><p>"SCARKIT!"</p><p>Scarkit jolted awake, her eyes wide and fur standing on end. It took her several moments to shake the dream away and notice her brother Sunnykit staring down at her. The orange kit seemed pleased with himself and he flicked his tail. "It looks like you were having a good dream," he said sarcastically.</p><p>"Go away, mouse-brain!" Scarkit yowled, scrambling to sit up in her nest.</p><p>"Watch your language, young kit." Scarkit winced and turned to see her mother, Dapplemoon, giving her a warning look. "Be nice to your brother, especially on a day like today." Scarkit lowered her ears and mumbled a quick apology to her and Sunnykit. The contents of her dream danced on the edges of her mind and still felt tense. The lights clung to her mind's eye like a burr in her fur.</p><p>Sunnykit gave her a gentle nudge and Scarkit shook her head, trying to rid herself of the images, and looked at him. "Do you want to go get some prey? Bristlepaw caught a ton of it on his hunt this morning!" Scarkit nodded and forced a positive purr at the idea. A fresh mouse might help her calm down a little bit. Sunnykit leapt up and rushed to the nursery entrance, eagerly looking back at his sister. Scarkit slowly got to her paws, the left one feeling stiff from sleep, and limped after him.</p><p>As the two exited the den, Scarkit looked around the camp to see it bustling with life. It was still morning, not quite sun-high yet, and it seemed as though all the Clan cats were enjoying the warm day. It had been dreary and grey for a while and everyone was glad to see the sun shining in the sky once again. Scarkit and Sunnykit made their way quickly across the camp to the fresh-kill pile. Scarkit noticed that Sunnykit kept his pace slow, walking beside her. "You can go grab us some fresh-kill if you want. I'll catch up," she meowed. Sunnykit purred and dashed forward, grabbing two mice off the pile and carrying them to the usual place they liked to eat, near the camp wall in the shade. Scarkit limped forward, joining him and slowly lowering herself down to eat.</p><p>After they both finished their fresh-kill, Scarkit stood and moved over to give Sunnykit's head a few licks. "Dapplemoon wouldn't want you to look like a mess. She'd chew us out for sure if she could see you right now!"</p><p>Sunnykit purred and nudged his nose into Scarkit's shoulder. "I wish you could be there with me!" he said. "Has Dewnose said anything to you yet?"</p><p>Scarkit rolled her eyes. "No. But I don't want to be a medicine cat's apprentice. I want to be a warrior!"</p><p>"I know!" Sunnykit stood and shook a little, fluffing the fur Scarkit had just tried to smooth down. "But being a medicine cat isn't so bad! Plus when I'm a warrior I'll need the smartest cat in the Clan to fix me up after battles!" Scarkit knew that Sunnykit meant that as a compliment but it still stung. Is that all she was good for? Cleaning up wounds?</p><p>Scarkit shifted on her paws and looked down at her front left one. Her paw pad stared back up at her, as it always had. Something had gone wrong when she was born and it had left her with a permanent defect. Her paw was twisted and she couldn't place it flat on the ground. As a result, she limped a bit, especially when she hadn't moved for a while. The injury also ached whenever the weather got too bad, which was another reason she was happy the sun was finally back. It was because of this paw, this one weak part of her, that the entire Clan thought Dewnose, their medicine cat, would ask Scarkit to become his apprentice. Because who would want a lame cat to protect the clan?</p><p>But Scarkit didn't feel lame. In fact, she could run and jump and pounce and walk without any pain. Her legs were strong and so was her tail from helping her balance most of the time. Besides maybe climbing, Scarkit felt like she could do anything a warrior could and she yearned to become an apprentice. Every time she brought it up, though, she was met by gentle laughter and glances full of pity.</p><p>And so, when Dapplemoon called the kits back to the front of the nursery to groom Sunnykit a little bit, Scarkit felt a twinge of jealousy that her brother was becoming an apprentice today and she was not.</p><p>"I wish Dewnose would hurry up already," Scarkit said, staring at the grey tom as he exited his den. "If he's going to make me his apprentice he should just get it over with."</p><p>"Be patient, Scarkit," Dapplemoon said. "Your time will come." Scarkit lowered her ears and stared at the ground.</p><p>"Yeah, Scarkit!" Sunnykit interjected. "Don't worry! I'm sure it won't be long now!"</p><p>It was sun-high when the Clan leader, Palestar, finally emerged from his den and bounded up Highrock. Sunnykit bounced a little seeing the leader sit at the top and look around at the busy camp below. Scarkit glanced at her brother and pushed away the jealousy. It was a big day for him and she wanted to be as supportive as possible. She scolded herself a little for acting so upset, blaming her dream for her mood.</p><p>"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Palestar called. Cats from all around the camp began to gather around Highrock, glancing every now and again at Sunnykit. Everyone knew what this announcement was for.</p><p>Dapplemoon gave Sunnykit a few more licks before he sprang up and raced forward to join the rest of the Clan. Scarkit stood and followed her mother more slowly. The two moved more towards the front where Sunnykit was waiting next to Burrpelt, his and Scarkit's father. He playfully nudged Sunnykit and gave Scarkit a happy purr before turning his attention to Palestar once again.</p><p>"ThunderClan cats," Palestar began, "today is a momentous day. It is the day that a kit becomes an apprentice and begins their journey to learn the skills of a true warrior." Palestar paused and looked down at Sunnykit. "I know that Bristlepaw is especially looking forward to this day because there will finally be another cat to help him with his duties." A ripple of laughter traveled through the Clan before Palestar raised his tail to silence them. "Sunnykit, please come forward."</p><p>Scarkit watched as Sunnykit stepped forward, and suppressed a giggle at how he was trying to look regal with his chin held high and his chest puffed out. Sunnykit stopped before Highrock and looked up at his leader expectantly, nervously shifting from paw to paw. "Sunnykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sunnypaw. Your mentor will be Tawnystripe. I hope Tawnystripe will pass down all she knows on to you."</p><p>A murmur of approval moved through the cats as Tawnystripe stepped forward to greet her apprentice and Scarkit knew why. Tawnystripe was a senior warrior known for being very brave and strong. She would be a great mentor to Sunnypaw.</p><p>"Tawnystripe," Palestar continued, "you are ready to take on another apprentice. You have received excellent training from Bumbleface, and you have shown yourself to be cunning and bold. You will be the mentor of Sunnypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Sunnypaw."</p><p>"I will, Palestar," Tawnystripe said confidently before turning to Sunnypaw. The mentor and new apprentice touched noses and the ceremony was complete.</p><p>Before the Clan began to cheer Sunnypaw's new name, Palestar spoke again. "Scarkit, please step forward."</p><p>Scarkit's world seemed to narrow and her head started to buzz. This was something she had not been expecting. What did Palestar want with her? She could feel the eyes of the Clan on her and could hear their whispers of confusion. And then it hit her. Had Dewnose decided to finally take her on as an apprentice? Dread filled her as she was suddenly brought back to reality with a nudge from Dapplemoon. Scarkit became extremely aware of what was going on and stepped forward, trying her best not to limp too much. Sunnypaw and Tawnystripe had moved to the side and Scarkit took thier place under Highrock. She glanced at her brother quickly and saw him giving her a nervous look. It seemed he was blindsided by this too.</p><p>"Scarkit," Palestar began, "just like your brother you are now at the age to begin your apprenticeship. I know that you will serve the Clan to the best of your ability." Scarkit winced internally. Again the comment wasn't supposed to be an insult but it still felt like one was buried under the words. At least he hadn't outright mentioned her injury.</p><p>Palestar continued with the ceremony. "Scarkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Scarpaw. Your mentor will be..." Scarpaw glanced over at Dewnose who was watching in the shade of Highrock, his eyes betraying nothing, "Speckleflower. I hope Speckleflower will pass down all she knows on to you."</p><p>Scarpaw's eyes widened as the graceful, grey she-cat stepped out of the assembled cats and joined her at her side. Speckleflower was a highly respected warrior who was the oldest one of the Clan. Cats had been whispering that it wouldn't be long before she retired and joined her old friends in the elder's den. But it seemed as though she had one more warrior duty to attend to. "Speckleflower, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You received excellent training from Rosewing, who now watches over us in StarClan, and you have shown yourself to be patient and wise. You will be the mentor of Scarpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Scarpaw."</p><p>As though she was in a dream, Scarpaw turned and looked up at the warrior cat before her. Speckleflower's warm golden eyes looked back into hers and she gave a reassuring nod. Scarpaw reached up and pressed her nose to her new mentor's, feeling a thrill suddenly move through. She pulled away and turned to face the Clan as they began to cheer for their new apprentices. Her dream forgotten, Scarpaw could barely keep herself still as joy bubbled at her paws and excitement made her ears buzz.</p><p>She would be a ThunderClan warrior!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Several Clan cats came forward after Palestar dismissed everyone. Many of them gave their congratulations to the new apprentices and Scarpaw basked in their surprised faces and happy greetings. For once, it felt as though they were looking at her with something other than that familiar pity.</p><p>"Congratulations, little ones!" Burrpelt said. "You're going to be proud warriors I can already tell."</p><p>"Did you know about my apprenticeship?" Scarpaw asked. Her father must have known what was going to happen today.</p><p>"No one knew except for Palestar, Speckleflower, and I," a rough voice interrupted. Scarpaw turned to see Dewnose standing nearby. The medicine cat gave his shoulder a few licks before continuing. "I knew you were determined to be a warrior. Plus, I don't think you would have made a very good medicine cat. Didn't have quite the temperament." His words sounded harsh but there was a look of knowing in his eye that Scarpaw found strange. "Either way congratulations," Dewnose continued, "to both of you. Now let's hope Tawnystripe and Speckleflower don't go too hard on you so you're not in my den by the end of the day."</p><p>"We'll try our best, Dewnose," Speckleflower said with a respectful nod.</p><p>When the cats finally dispersed and went back to their daily duties, Sunnypaw bounded up to Scarpaw. "I am so excited for you! Thank StarClan, Scarpaw, we're going to be warriors together!"</p><p>"Yeah," Scarpaw gave him a friendly swipe with a sheathed paw. "Sorry, I'm not doing to be cleaning your wounds like you wanted me to."</p><p>"Aww that's okay!" Sunnypaw feigned being injured at the play move and crouched onto the ground, "This'll be more fun anyway."</p><p>"Sunnypaw," Tawnystripe said. "You seem so eager to get started why don't we head to the sandy hollow and I'll show you a few techniques?"</p><p>"Really?" Sunnypaw leaped to his feet and shook the dust off his fur. "Shouldn't we patrol or something?"</p><p>"Scarpaw and I will do that for now," Sparkleflower stepped in. "Besides it's best you two don't get too used to training together right away. Tawnystripe will show you the territory later." The senior warrior turned to Scarpaw and flicked her tail. "Let's get moving so we can cover at least some of the territory before sundown."</p><p>Scarpaw's eyes widened and her ears pricked up. Her first outing as an apprentice! She scrambled after Speckleflower, who was nearly at the camp entrance. "So will we be able to see all of the territory today?" she asked her mentor.</p><p>"It's not likely but I'll be sure to show you as much as I can. These bones aren't what they used to be," Speckleflower joked.</p><p>Scarpaw huffed a little at the joke but felt awkward thinking about it. Now that she was away from all of the excitement and her heart wasn't beating as fast, she started to wonder. Why was Speckleflower chosen as her mentor? Why was she being trained as a warrior at all? As she padded next to her mentor, she wondered if it would be rude to ask those kinds of questions so soon after the apprentice ceremony.</p><p>"Pay attention, Scarpaw, otherwise this will be for nothing."</p><p>Scarpaw shook her head and focused on the path and keeping up with Speckleflower. She mewed an apology and scolded herself for getting so distracted. "Where are we going?" she asked, trying to show she was engaged and ready to learn.</p><p>"Towards sunningrocks," Speckleflower answered. "We'll see the border with RiverClan first and then try to catch a glimpse of WindClan territory."</p><p>The air felt fresh as the two cats padded through the forest. Along the way, Speckleflower pointed out specific places and things that would help Scarpaw get better acquainted with the territory. They made their way past the sandy hollow, where Sunnypaw and Tawnystripe would be training that day. Specklepaw talked about where Scarpaw would find different kinds of prey and how to tell the difference between the smell of a juicy vole and a plump mouse. Scarpaw took it all in and tried her best to make note of everything and anything, asking questions along the way. The further they went the more Scarpaw's paws began to hurt and it wasn't long before she started lagging behind a little bit. Her front left paw throbbed and though she was used to walking on it, she was not used to going this far. But she refused to let Speckleflower notice her struggling and pushed herself to keep up with the seasoned warrior.</p><p>Finally, the trees broke and Scarpaw saw a pile of rocks in view of the sun's bright rays. A river ran just beyond them and even from here she could smell the fishy scent of RiverClan cats. "It looks like a patrol just came by," Speckleflower remarked before refreshing the scent at the border. "Sunningrocks is a contentious spot for ThunderClan and RiverClan, Scarpaw. There's a fight or two over them every now and again. Can you guess why?"</p><p>Scarpaw tilted her head and thought a moment. "Because they're so close to the river and the forest? And they can hide prey too."</p><p>"Very good," Speckleflower purred. "These rocks also used to be part of the river. That's another reason why RiverClan seems to think they own them. Not to mention they're absolutely wonderful to relax on on a day like today." Scarpaw half hoped that her mentor would say that they were going to do just that but before she could prepare herself, Speckleflower leaped and took off running at the edge of the river. Startled, Scarpaw followed, trying her best to keep up with the larger cat. Her paw was throbbing quickly now and she just knew that it would be swollen when she got back to camp. But the thought of disappointing Speckleflower was somehow worse to her so she continued to chase after the blue-grey she-cat, holding back a shout of pain when her paw hit the ground awkwardly at one moment.</p><p>Finally, Speckleflower began to slow and turned to see if Scarpaw had kept up. Scarpaw was happy to see the somewhat surprised look in her eyes as the new apprentice followed not far behind. She knew she probably looked worn out and in bad shape but she felt a little bit of pride that she had managed to not fall too far behind. Speckleflower sat and gazed at Scarpaw. "Tell me what you see," she said calmly.</p><p>Scarpaw scrunched her nose a little at the strange request but sat down, thankful for the break either way. "We're on a hill," she said. "There are four big trees just down there and the river to the left of us."</p><p>"Good," Speckleflower nodded. "Those trees are Fourtrees which is where the clans meet every full moon. I'm sure Dapplemoon has told you all about that." Scarpaw nodded. "Now what do you smell?"</p><p>Scarpaw lifted her head and tasted the air. The damp and welcoming smells of the forest surrounded her, putting her more at ease. She could barely smell the river and the sharp scent of RiverClan was only slightly noticeable here. Then the wind changed and the air was filled with an earthy smell, one that Scarpaw was unfamiliar with. She wrinkled her nose at the new scent and began to smell cats as well. That must be WindClan's scent, she thought, I don't think I could smell ShadowClan here. "I think WindClan cats are nearby," she said turning to Speckleflower.</p><p>"Correct," the she-cat nodded. "Their border is just beyond Fourtrees and you'll occasionally catch their scent when the wind is right. Very well done, Scarpaw." The apprentice stood and nodded in thanks. "Before we go," Speckleflower said. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about." A feeling of dread began to rise up in Scarpaw. Had she done something wrong? She sat back down and nervously met her mentor's gaze.</p><p>"I want to make something very clear," Speckleflower said, "and I didn't want to bring this up in the camp around other cats. I figured you wouldn't like that. But if at any time you feel as though you can't complete or do an activity that I assign you, I want you to let me know as soon as possible." Speckleflower must have seen the confused look on her face because she sighed and continued. "Scarpaw, your circumstances are very special. Because of your paw, I'm worried that you won't be able to fulfill all of your duties as an apprentice. It can be grueling and sometimes training gets rough. I don't want to make your injury worse."</p><p>Shame and embarrassment burned in Scarpaw and she lashed her tail. She wanted to speak up and chew Speckleflower out for saying those things. Should she hold her tongue? She hadn't even been an apprentice for a day yet.</p><p>"I know this is hard to hear," Speckleflower said softly. "But I just want you to be prepared. As a mentor, I need to be upfront and honest with-"</p><p>"And as an apprentice, I have to be able to prove I can take care of the Clan." Scarpaw couldn't help herself. Speckleflower fell silent and Scarpaw took that as permission to continue. "I'll let you be honest and not say a word about it but you have to at least give me a chance."</p><p>"Sometimes a chance is all we need. That's true." Speckleflower looked at her thoughtfully. "And you did manage to keep up well on the run here." Scarpaw shifted around, putting more weight on her right side to ease the pressure on the left. "Still you have to promise to tell me if it gets to be too much," Speckleflower finished.</p><p>"I will."</p><p>Speckleflower gave a sigh and stood, looking like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. "I think that's enough for today. Tomorrow we'll finish with the rest of the territory."</p><p>Scarpaw stood as well and nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. It hurt that Speckleflower didn't seem to think she would succeed but she should have expected it. Up until today, the whole Clan thought she would be studying herbs and cobwebs. Of course, even her own mentor would have some doubts about her apprentice.</p><p>"We'll walk back," Speckleflower said. "My joints are still sore from that weather."</p><p>The older warrior started back into the forest. Scarpaw started to follow but paused. The WindClan scent was getting stronger. She opened her mouth to taste the air then turned around and peered out past Fourtrees. There, in the distance, she saw four cats pacing across the empty moor, lean and strong looking. For a moment, the sight of unfamiliar and new cats made Scarpaw pause. There they were. WindClan warriors.</p><p>--</p><p>"You saw WindClan warriors?"</p><p>Scarpaw shuffled her feet and gave Sunnypaw a nod. "Yes. Right on the moors. They looked like they were patrolling."</p><p>"That is so cool!" Sunnypaw jumped up then looked at Scarpaw in awe. "I can't wait to see one of the other Clans!"</p><p>"Not as exciting as you think. Trust me," a gruff voice said. A black tom emerged from the apprentice den and joined the two near a stump. He was only a few moons older than them but Scarpaw still felt a little intimidated by Bristlepaw. Now that they were all apprentices together, though, she shouldn't have to worry about him. Even though Sunnypaw and Bristlepaw seemed to get along, he always seemed standoffish and rude to her. She figured it was just because he was older and further along in his path to becoming a warrior. But now they had a level playing field, at least a little bit. "Why don't you two go make sure the elders have been fed?" Bristlepaw continued. "It's nearly sundown and I did it this morning."</p><p>"Sounds good!" Sunnypaw said, eager to have some kind of activity to do. He started forward towards the fresh-kill pile.</p><p>Scarpaw hesitated at first then stood. She had hoped to just relax outside near the stump till Sunnypaw and Bristlepaw had gone inside. After getting back from patrol with Speckleflower, she had been limping like mad and her paw had swollen up some. It was more of an annoyance than anything but she didn't want her brother to worry. She took one step forward on her left paw and lurched down. It seemed like the limp had gotten worse from her rest.</p><p>"Okay, no elders for you," Bristlepaw said. "I'd go see Dewnose about that limp."</p><p>"I'm fine," Scarpaw nearly spat. She tried taking another step and limped again, this time with some pain.</p><p>"Seriously. Speckleflower will not want her precious apprentice injured for training tomorrow. Keep up like that and she might even quit being your mentor."</p><p>Scarpaw looked over her shoulder and glared at the tom. She lashed her tail before reluctantly realizing he was right and changing her direction to the medicine cat den. It looks like Dewnose would be seeing the new apprentice after all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So just fyi my update schedule might be a bit random. I try to update every time I write a new chapter (I'm about 2 chapters ahead at all times). Unfortunately, I start back at work soon so I might not be able to write as much. BUT I'll try my best to be consistent and work on this as often as I can. Right now I have a few personal projects I'm working on so I work on this every other day. Hopefully, that'll be enough to where I can be somewhat on a schedule. But I just wanted to let y'all know before I get any questions about updates!</p>
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